Bach Dang wooden stakes, 1288 AD, iron wood, discovered in Chanh River, Yen Hung district, Quang Ninh province in 1976
Bach Dang wooden stakes, 1288 AD, iron wood, discovered in Chanh River, Yen Hung district, Quang Ninh province in 1976.
These are vestiges of the naval battle against the Mongol in 1288 at Bach Dang River commanded by Tran Hung Dao. The stakes are about 1.5-3m long and dark brown. One end was driven into the river base. One pointed end has many fissures as the result of water corrosion. For naval battles, the stakes were fixed when the tide went down and the average distance between the stakes was about 0.9-1.2m. In addition to stakes that stood straight, some were inclined 45 degrees in order to target boats that went near the river bank. Based on a thorough study of the advantages of the terrain and ups and downs of the tide, together with scientific calculation and exact prediction, the naval battle using stakes showed the military genius of Tran Hung Dao, as well as the unique warfare tactics and military creativity of the Dai Viet people during the Tran Dynasty.
Painting: Bach Dang Battle Victory, 1288 AD